Long Game Revisited
by xoElle23
Summary: Set after Ski Lodge Part 2. My first attempt at a GMW fic. Because Josh may not be a secure Western hero, but that's okay. Westerns aren't really her style anyway. Oneshot. Joshaya (and some Rucas if you squint).


**Because as the writing process often works for me, I got an idea and couldn't get the words out fast enough. I hope you all enjoy it.**

The days after they all return home from Mount Sun Lodge, things change. A lot of things happened up at the cabin- a lot of self exploration, discovery, and growing up. And growing up means change, whether it's for the better or worse. It's the way life works. Luckily, this case is the former.

The tension is gone, first and foremost, a weight lifted off a group of friends bringing about a new sense of calm and security. They've weathered the trails and made it through the storm. Things are good.

A certain western hero starts spending more time around the Matthews Manhattan apartment, which, possibly the most shocking of all, the patriarch of the family doesn't seem too bothered by. On the contrary, he actually seems a bit relieved.

"You figured it out. That's all I ever wanted." He says simply when questioned about this fact. Though he still keeps a firm eye out whenever the cowboy is near. After all, things aren't THAT different.

The fierce blonde has regained her independence. Gone now is the shy girl attempting to blend in to the shadow of her best friend. A warrior is back and in full force, ready to take on the world with her favorite brunette at her side.

A month passes. Life returns to normal, or at least the new version of normal. All is well.

That is, of course, until a lanky 18 year old boy appears at the apartment door one random Wednesday afternoon. His breathing is haggard, almost as if he's sprinted the entire journey from his college dorm, and instead of the usual mask of contentment typically worn, his face displays an obvious form of upset.

"Josh," Topanga dons her own look of surprise when she opens the door, though a smile still remains at his unexpected arrival. "We didn't know you were coming by."

"Where is she?" he demands, his words sharp and quick as if his lips can't move fast enough to get them out into the universe. "I know they're both here. They're always here." And then, almost as if realizing his lack of manners, he quickly adds, "Hi. Sorry. I need to talk to her. Can I come in?"

Topanga steps back to allow him entrance, gesturing towards the kitchen where her daughter and several friends sit. "Sure, she's over there studying. Is everything okay?" But before the entire sentence is out, Josh is halfway across the room. Sure enough Riley and her friends are hunched over various textbooks at the table, the western hero directly to her left gently holding her hand as he works over a math equation.

"Uncle Josh," Riley looks up from her books with the same wave of surprise as her mother, though she too is clearly far from upset at his sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?"

"Your breathing is labored." Farkle observes from the far end of the table. His girlfriend nods.

"Either you've just partaken in extreme physical activity or your emotional state is in overdrive. Possibly a combination of both."

"I believe it's a combination." Farkle agrees, but Josh's gaze remains solely on his point of interest, which, contrary to Topanga's original assumption, is not his niece. Without a word, he pulls Maya's chair away from the table and points an accusatory finger at her.

"You." he says simply, to which the blonde can only stare.

"Me." She repeats, sending a questionable glance towards her best friend who can merely shrug in response.

"At the ski lodge. Stuff happened. Between us. We talked." He isn't sure why all of his words contain less than two syllables or why he sounds like a caveman, but his mind is overdrive at the moment so it's almost a miracle he's able to speak at all.

Maya doesn't seem to notice.

"Yes." She confirms his previous statements.

"We had an agreement!" Finally the words seem to click in his mind, allowing his raised voice to carry throughout the room. "We said someday! We shook on it! I live my life, you live yours. Whatever happens in the future will happen when it's supposed to. I remember that, do you remember that?"

"I remember that."

"We said we'd play the long game!"

"I know." She nods again, still completely in the dark. "I was there."

"The long game implies an extended period of time. Not any time soon. A time far away from the present." He says loudly. "That's why it's called the long game- it means NOT NOW. What part of that don't you understand?"

Topanga takes a step forward, no amount of familial love enough reason to allow him to barge in and start yelling at the girl. "Josh-"

"No, it's okay." Maya assures her softly. "Keep going." She instructs Josh.

"Maya-"

"It's okay Riles." She promises, eyes still locked with the angry boy before her. "What else?"

"Do you realize what the last month of my life has been like?" he demands. "Awful. Ever since we got back from that stupid trip, my entire life has been a mess and it's all your fault."

"Josh!"

Again, Maya calls off her protectors. "Let him finish."

"I can't do anything! My head's a mess, I barely eat, I haven't had a real night's sleep in I can't tell you how long," he lists angrily. "There was a girl in my Econ class that I really liked. And I fully planned on asking her out, but that never happened!"

The blonde stares at him, eyes brave. "Why?"

"Because," he nearly explodes, "Every time I opened my mouth, the only thing I could talk about was you!"

Silence.

Everyone in the room freezes, the only sound heard that of Smackle's pencil hitting the kitchen floor.

"What did you just say?" Maya's voice is just above a breath when the quiet is broken several long beats later.

"That's right," Josh nods in irritation. "Couldn't make it five minutes without mentioning your name. And you know what? It wasn't just that girl. It's everybody. I swear, you're probably the most popular person at NYU and you don't even go to school there." He throws his hands up in frustration. "Because for the last thirty days I haven't been able to shut up. Even my roommate is sick of me at this point. In fact, I'm pretty sure he's taken up pottery just to have an excuse to get away from me."

"Hey, pottery is the bomb." Zay says defensively, shrinking down in his seat when all eyes turn to stare at him. "Just saying."

Maya shakes her head and moves on. "So why are you here?" she questions, turning her focus back to the mess of a boy standing before her.

"I was in my room thinking about everything- again." He explains. "And after a month of trying to ignore it all, I finally came up with a plan B. And I think it might be the answer to everything."

"Which is what?" she inquires. "If you're here for me to talk you into dating other people, you're out of luck Josh."

"That's not why I'm here."

"Then why? What's this big plan you decided on?"

"I think we have to date. Now." He says bluntly, causing Smackle's pencil once again to hit the floor. "The long game thing isn't working. I think we have to be together, because I can't do it the other way anymore."

Maya stares at him for a minute, the room silent as the group of onlookers lean forward on the edge of their seats in anticipation of the beautiful reunion undoubtedly about to take place.

So all six jaws drop to the floor when the blonde finally answers with one simple word.

"No."

Josh blinks. "No?"

"No." she repeats firmly. "My answer is no."

"But-"

"You come in here and yell at me for ten minutes, blabbering on about how this whole thing is my fault and all it's done is make you miserable, and what? You expect me to just fall into your arms?" Maya scoffs and turns back to her sketchbook. "Lamest offer ever. I say no."

By now the stack of textbooks is the last thing on anyone's mind as all eyes in the room volley back and forth between the duo before them. Even Topanga has given up the charade of busying herself at the kitchen counter. Instead her attention, like the rest, is now on a befuddled Josh.

"What if I said I was sorry?" he questions after a minute, his voice now shaken and soft, though sincere. His eyes are now void of rage and instead filled with a newfound clarity. "What if I said you were right and that the way I acted was incredibly immature? That the yelling and freaking out and my processing what was happening was the worst way possible and you never, in any situation, deserve that."

Several seconds go by before Maya scoots her chair back a bit, her eyes still down on her notebook.

"I'm listening."

"I'm sorry." He says again, this time his tone clear as a crystal bell and holding the utmost sincerity. "I'm sorry I yelled. I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. I'm sorry I ever made you doubt yourself. And I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. But I promise, Maya, if you let me, I will make sure to never let you feel like that ever again."

Off to the side, a certain perky brunette leans in to whisper excitedly to her boyfriend.

"I think this is their Moment!" she says with glee, frowning only the slightest bit when he gently removes the cell phone, camera open and already in focus, from her fingers.

Maya turns her body once again to face the youngest Matthews brother. "What if you said all that?" she checks.

Josh takes a deep breath before boldly announcing, "What if I said that I think you're beautiful and strong and one of the bravest, brightest people I've ever met and I'm crazy about you?"

"What about someday?" she questions softly.

"Someday was nice," he acknowledges. "In theory."

"But in reality?"

He shrugs. "Forget someday. What about right now?"

Maya rolls her eyes and smiles widely, rising to step into his offered arms. "You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet, Boing."

Josh smirks. "Only when it counts." And then, after leaning in just the slightest, he pauses. "Are we really gonna have our first kiss in front of everyone?"

The blonde looks over at their audience, having completely forgotten anyone else was even in the room.

"Right." Raising her eyebrows expectantly at the group, she twirls her finger in a clockwise motion. "Do you guys mind? We're trying to have a moment here."

(Things calm down after that. Until, of course, one Cory Matthews returns home a few hours later and finds his younger brother included in the study group, fingers linked with a feisty blonde the teacher considers one of his own as if nothing at all is unusual.

"What did I miss?" he questions, sending a frantic look to his wife only to receive a simple smile in return.

Yeah, maybe things haven't changed that much after all.)

 **end.**

 **Feel free to share your thoughts.**


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